Remote light-switching apparatus

ABSTRACT

An extension arm for remotely actuating a light switch wherein the upper end of the extension arm is operably connected to the toggle arm of a light switch by means of a bail slidably mounted in a housing secured to the light switch cover plate for enabling the toggle to be switched from a remote position below the light switch.

United States Patent [72} Inventor De Witt Y. German 2,919,333 12/1959 Jones 200/160 P.0. Box 26323, Houston, Tex. 77032 3,004,128 10/1961 Mikolajeski .t 200/172 [211 App]. No. 851,305 3,121,778 2/1964 Sanders et alw 200/172 [22] Filed Aug. 19, 1969 3,175,420 3/1965 Craig 1 i 74/544 [45] Patented July 6,1971 3,188,439 6/1965 Fullerton... 200/172 2,668,456 2/1954 Meistrell 200/172 2,760,035 8/1956 Friesen 200/172 1 20 172 54 REMOTE LIGHT-SWITCHING APPARATUS 333905 8/1967 De 0/ 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs, Primary Examiner-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner-Wes1ey S, Ratliff, Jr. [52] U.S. C1 74/103,

200,172 Attorney Pravel, WllSOll & Matthews {51] Int. Cl F16h 21/44 [50] Field of Search 74/103, ABSTRACT; An extension arm for remotely actuating a light 99; zoo/172 A switch wherein the upper end of the extension arm is operably connected to the toggle arm of a light switch by means of a [56] Rem-wees Cned bail slidably mounted in a housing secured to the light switch UNITED STATES PATENTS cover plate for enabling the toggle to be switched from a 2,724,032 1 1/1955 Co1etta 200/172 remote position below the light switch.

3/--- 37 26' /z a/ 4i /3 REMOTE LIGHT-SWITCHING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a new and improved light switch actuating apparatus for manually switching a light switch toggle to either an on or off position from a remote location, such as a position beneath a light switch mounted in a wall.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art includes various devices for switching a light switch from a remote location below the switch such as devices of the type disclosed by Devall, U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,051; Coletta, U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,032; Mikolajeski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,004,128; Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,334; Fullerton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,188,439; Sander, U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,778; Craig, U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,420; and Meistrell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,668,456. These patents disclose devices of varying complexity, all of which are provided for raising and lowering the external toggle end of a pivoted light switch that is normally flush mounted in a wall with the toggle projecting from a switch box cover plate. While these patents disclose various devices for actuating a wall switch from a position directly therebelow, such as by a child or other person unable to reach the elevation of a wall mounted light switch, such prior art devices are relatively complicated and difficult to manufacture and maintain and do not furnish the simplicity of structure and manufacture represented by applicants remote light switching apparatus.

SUMMARY The present invention comprises a new and improved lightswitching actuating apparatus for remote operation of a light switch which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be quickly and easily installed or removed from an ordinary light switch cover plate, without requiring any change or modification in the toggle switch or cover plate and without marring or damaging such toggle switch or removing the cover plate from the switch box.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved remote actuating device for operating a light switch mounted in a wall and including a wire loop or bail slidably mounted in a housing adapted to be positioned on the toggle switch and a rigid pull rod pivotally connected to said wire bail and depending therefrom for manual operation of the toggle switch from a position immediately therebelow.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toggle switch actuator for remote actuation of a light switch mounted in a wall including a rigid actuator rod and means slidably mounted in a housing attached to the light switch cover plate for engaging the toggle switch near its outer end for moving said toggle switch to off and on" positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric view showing the apparatus of the present invention mounted on a light switch cover plate with the actuating rod extending therebelow;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 showing details of construction of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view partially broken away showing the means for connecting the push rod to the toggle switch;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing the apparatus of the present invention connected to a toggle switch, and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the bail for connecting the actuating rod to the light switch toggle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The apparatus of the present invention designated generally A in the drawings includes a rigid actuating rod R having a wire loop or bail B mounted at its upper end for connecting such rod R to a toggle switch T. The bail B is slidably mounted in a housing 1-] that guides the bail vertically upwardly and downwardly as the actuating rod R is pushed or pulled, respectively.

As shown, the housing H comprises a longitudinally extending body having longitudinally extending sides 12 and 13 connected by a front 14 with a longitudinally extending slot or opening 17 formed therein for receiving the upper end of the rod R and the toggle switch T.

Such slot is open at the bottom end but is closed at the upper end by the top 18. Such housing H is secured to the switch box 24 recessed in the wall 26 by means of an upper screw 27 that extends through the face plate 29 and by means of a clip 31 that is secured to the box 24 by means of a screw 33.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings the clip 31 comprises a U-shaped member having a flat base 34 that is parallel to the cover plate 29 and which has a pair of sides 35 extending outwardly from opposite edges of such base with laterally projecting rims or flanges 37 that are disposed generally parallel to the base 34 and which project laterally outwardly from the upstanding members 35. Such flanges 37 are adapted to be received in longitudinally extending grooves or slots 40 which are provided in the opposite sides 12 and 13 of the longitudinally extending body H.

The actuating rod R preferably comprises a tubular member formed of plastic or aluminum or other suitable lightweight material. Such rod is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed holes or openings 41 for receiving the ends of the bail B. As best seen in FIGS, 3 and 5 of the drawings the bail B comprises a pair of longitudinally extending parallel side members 42 having the lower ends 43 thereof bent or turned inwardly facing each other. The upper ends of the sides 42 are bent or turned inwardly to provide inwardly extending top portions 44 which are bent laterally to form U-shaped loop 45 which is disposed at generally right angles with respect to the plane in which the parallel side members 42 are disposed. Such loop 45 extends transversly across the top of the toggle switch T and also extends toward the front of the cover plate 29 so as to engage toggle switches of varying shapes and sizes. The side members 42 are disposed on opposite sides of such toggle switch T and extend downwardly therebelow. The upper end 47 of the rod R terminates below the toggle switch T so that such toggle switch is inserted into the bail B above the upper end ofthe rod R.

The longitudinally extending side members 42 are received in longitudinally extending grooves 48 which are formed in the sides 12 and 13 of the housing H.

In using or operating the apparatus A of the present invention, the bracket or clip 31 is connected to the switch box cover plate 29 by means of the screw 33. With the lower end portions 43 of the bail B inserted into the openings 41 near the upper end of the rod R, the bail B is inserted into the longitudinally extending slots 48. With the rod R extending out of the lower end of the housing H, the loop 45 is hung over the upper end of the toggle switch T and the housing H secured on such switch plate 29 by inserting the flange edges 37 of the clip 31 into the grooves 40 and then inserting the upper screw 27 through the upper end of the housing H above the bail B and connecting such screw to the switch in the switch box 24.

With the rod R extending downwardly below the bottom of the housing 1-1 and with the upper end of such rod connected to the toggle switch T by means of the bail B, the light switch or toggle switch T may be moved upwardly or downwardly by alternately pushing or pulling the rod R. It will be appreciated that a downward pull on the rod R when the toggle switch T is in the upward position as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings will cause the upper loop 45 on the bail B to engage the upper surface of the toggle switch T and pull such toggle switch into a downward position thereby moving the switch to the off" position. Thereafter should it be desired to reverse the position of the toggle switch T an upward push on the rod R will cause the upper end 47 of such rod to engage the lower surface of the toggle switch upwardly into the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, then turning the switch on."

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A light switching apparatus for moving a toggle switch from on" to off" and vice versa from a remote position below such switch comprising:

a. longitudinally extending housing;

b. means for securing said housing to a toggle switch box adjacent the toggle switch cover plate;

c. a longitudinally extending recess in such housing for receiving the toggle portion of the switch projecting out of the toggle switch cover plate;

d. a bail having an upper end portion extending traversely across the upper side of the toggle for engaging the upper side of the toggle and moving it downwardly when the bail is moved downwardly;

e. a pair of laterally spaced side members depending from the upper end portion of said bail extending downwardly below the toggle;

f. an actuating rod for moving said bail upwardly and downwardly for actuating the toggle, said rod being pivotally connected to the lower end of said ball side members with the upper end of said rod adjacent the lower side of the toggle for moving the toggle upwardly when said rod is moved upwardly; and

g. said housing including a pair of laterally spaced sides connected by a transversally extending front wherein said sides are provided with longitudinally extending grooves for receiving said laterally spaced side members of said bail which are slidably mounted in said longitudinally extending grooves.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said housing adjacent a toggle switch cover plate includes a U- shaped clip having a flatbase portion with a pair of upstanding sides extending outwardly from opposite edges of said flat base and laterally projecting rims extending outwardly from the upper edges of said upstanding sides with grooves communicating said longitudinally extending openings in said housing for receiving said rim portions to secure said housing to said U-shaped clip and screw means for securing said U-shaped clip to the switch box. 

1. A light switching apparatus for moving a toggle switch from ''''on'''' to ''''off'''' and vice versa from a remote position below such switch comprising: a. longitudinally extending housing; b. means for securing said housing to a toggle switch box adjacent the toggle switch cover plate; c. a longitudinally extending recess in such housing for receiving the toggle portion of the switch projecting out of the toggle switch cover plate; d. a bail having an upper end portion extending traversely across the upper side of the toggle for engaging the upper side of the toggle and moving it downwardly when the bail is moved downwardly; e. a pair of laterally spaced side members depending from the upper end portion of said bail extending downwardly below the toggle; f. an actuating rod for moving said bail upwardly and downwardly for actuating the toggle, said rod being pivotally connected to the lower end of said bail side members with the upper end of said rod adjacent the lower side of the toggle for moving the toggle upwardly when said rod is moved upwardly; and g. said housing including a pair of laterally spaced sides connected by a transversally extending front wherein said sides are provided with longitudinally extending grooves for receiving said laterally spaced side members of said bail which are slidably mounted in said longitudinally extending grooves.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said housing adjacent a toggle switch cover plate includes a U-shaped clip having a flat base portion with a pair of upstanding sides extending outwardly from opposite edges of said flat base and laterally projecting rims extending outwardly from the upper edges of said upstanding sides with grooves communicating said longitudinally extending openings in said housing for receiving said rim portions to secure said housing to said U-shaped clip and screw means for securing said U-shaped clip to the switch box. 